Voting in Elections

The following people are allowed to vote:

• if you are eighteen years of age or over.
• all British, Commonwealth, Irish and other European Union citizens
• overseas electors
• members of HM Forces and their spouses
• crown servants employed outside the United Kingdom
• European citizens are allowed to vote in Local Elections only.
• Overseas electors are allowed to vote in Parliamentary Elections only.

Any British citizen (which includes eligible Irish citizens and citizens of the Crown Dependencies) previously registered to vote in the UK, or who previously lived in the UK, can register to vote, regardless of how long they have lived abroad.  British citizens living abroad can register to vote using the address where they were last registered to vote in the UK, if they were never registered to vote in the UK, they can register using the last UK address they lived at. British citizens living abroad are required to reapply every three years.

Poll cards are delivered shortly before an Election. Each member of the household who is eligible to vote should receive a poll card that informs them of the date of the election, where their polling station is (or the date their postal vote will be sent), and the hours of the poll. You do not need to take the poll card with you to be able to vote but you will need to show photo ID when voting at a polling station. Please see the Voters ID page for information on acceptable forms of photo ID.

• for Local Elections the hours of poll are 7am to 10pm
• for General Elections the hours of poll are 7am to 10pm
• on arrival at your designated polling station, the Presiding Officer will ask you to confirm your name and address and to present your photo ID. You will then be issued a ballot paper.
• you should take the ballot paper to the voting booth and mark with an "X" the candidate, or candidates, you wish to vote for.
• fold the ballot paper and deposit it in the ballot box.

What if I am unable to get to the Polling Station on Election Day?

If you are unable to go to your Polling Station on Election Day, you can vote by post or proxy (a proxy is someone who votes on your behalf).